Conwy: Wales' trademark championship links course

Conwy Golf Club, the only championship-length course in North Wales, is a relatively flat links that builds towards an exceptionally tough finish. It has hosted both the seniors and ladies tours, as well as the Curtis Cup, and is always well received.

Rugged, uncompromising and natural, you get what you deserve here and when the wind blows it becomes fearsome. Generally you have a feeling of space but on the closing stretch the gorse encroaches and creates an awesome challenge in the winds of the Caernarvonshire coastline.

Its seaside character is apparent from the start, the second a par 3 nestling in the dunes, the third curving along the shoreline, followed by holes running parallel to each other to the turn.

The quality of this challenging links is a result of mid-1970s front nine alterations by Frank Pennink, and early 1980s back nine alterations to five holes by Brian Huggett and Neil Coles to allow for the building of the A55 tunnel, aimed at easing traffic problems on the road between Chester and Anglesey.

History

Laid out in the shadow of Conwy mountain, many holes overlook the estuary towards Llandudno and Anglesey. Conwy has hosted the prestigious European Amateur Team Championship in 2009, the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe in 2010 and hosted its third European Senior Tour event in August 2012. The course is regarded as one of the most challenging in the area, requiring players to use every club in the bag to score well.

Conwy has also played host to a number of major tournaments, including the Martini in 1970, when Peter Thompson and Doug Sewell tied on 268, a score attributable to the dry windless conditions which prevailed that week. The Ladies British Open Amateur Championship was won at Conwy by Belle Robertson in 1981 and the Home Internationals were staged here in 1990.

Golf began in this area in 1869, the original designer being Jack Morris, nephew of Old Tom Morris. Two World Wars had a profound effect on the Morfa Peninsula and the course was almost lost after the First World War. Stabilisation was only achieved against sand-blow by the planting of huge areas of marram grass on what are now the seventh, eighth and ninth.

Why it’s special

Douglas Adams’ three paintings from 1893 – ‘Difficult Bunker’, ‘The Putting Green’ and ‘The Drive’ – are all based on the links at Conwy. Just be thankful that your scorecard there won’t paints any pictures.

Lying in the mouth of the river Conwy and nestled in the Caernarvon Mountains, the course’s views are stunning. But not only does the course offer a superb vista; the bar, restaurant and lounge have panoramic views of the golf course, Conwy Mountain, and the Conwy Estuary to the Great Orme in Llandudno.